I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take.

So, I think I've discovered that I like Wasabi. Which is obviously odd, given that I don't like hot curries. But there's something about wasabi that is hot without being burny... I can't explain it. But I think I might have become addicted to wasabi coated peas, courtesy of one of my sergeants, Amy. It's probably a slippery slope. This time next year I'll be living under a railway arch mainlining scotch bonnets.

The rest of this, until just above the picture, is about my current work in child protection, so please don't read it if it will be upsetting.

My team is small (but, they inform me, perfectly formed). Honestly, it's frequently a very odd office - well, room - to work in. We're a bit squashed in, and frequently 3 or 4 people will be sitting at their desk, headphones on, notebooks out watching what would commonly be called pornography, but is in fact abuse. Until you've spent a whole day trying to note down every distinguishing feature on an offender and their surroundings whilst doing your best to ignore the actual content of the video you can't really understand how horrible parts of this job are.

On the one hand, it's a nice feeling to think you've 'saved' victims - albeit too late, obviously, for the ones you know about, and the ones you've saved before it happens, well, neither of you will ever know that. Because I'm under no allusion that without being caught these people would ever stop offending.

on the other hand, sending a body to a morgue for PM and having forensics hopefully give you a plateful of evidence will forever be easier and more pleasant all 'round than trying to interview a terrified 4 year old for evidence.

So, it's a job that is unbearable hard, but also incredibly worthwhile, and I'm still coming to terms with that, whereas most of the team are old hands and better at this than I am. Overseeing kids being removed from their parents/guardians, making decisions about informing completely unsuspecting parents about what's happened to their kid, explaining to wives (so far it's only been wives, although obviously won't always be) why we are arresting their husbands, and watching them realise their marriage has been full of lies, it's all...wearing. And wearying.

Which is why one of the things I'll be bringing back to my team is our 10am tea-break, where everyone who's in the office is welcome to gather around, with a brew and discuss whatever they want - from casework, to something that's made them cry, to how bad their suspect smelled when arrested - whatever, it's a time to share experiences and ideas, and it works really well. Brings everyone together, keeps everyone up on what other cases we have in.


On a far brighter note, both Mrs Holmes and John's parents and Nicky have all invited us for Christmas...or part of it, given work.

And here's a picture of the rugby we went to see. I believe if you look closely you can see SH, winning the trophy ;)

NZ, doing the Haka at Namibia.

Aaaaand....there was a great clamouring for another Upstanding Column (well, okay, one of you asked). So...have at it. As always, all information given is completely unfactual and entirely possibly wrong ;) the topic is anything, from recipes to romance, pet care to plumbing.

And there’s a hand my trusty friend! And give me a hand o’ thine!

Right. I have napped. I am ready.

I think.

I'm 'running a pro-active team to respond to street-incidents' or something like that.

Basically means I get a van-full of officers, and we're plain clothes (apart from the big 'police' flashes across our stab vests), and we'll turn up at certain places and check all is well, or be sent to 'hotspots', or generally mop up the idiots who can't just enjoy themselves without hitting anyone or generally causing trouble. But I think, until it really kicks off, we'll just call in other units to take away most of our arrests, so some understaffed custody suite can take the strain.

My forecast for the night is...a bit wet, fairly miserable, with moments of excitement. Might even get near to wherever this tasty snow/foam/mist is going to be...

To be honest, I quite like getting back to the streets. I will have a sergeant on my team, too, so if I get called away to a murder scene, there's little disruption to us. This will doubtless happen just before refs, because that's life. Meanwhile, my team will operate on skeleton without me, Sal or any of my other sergeants.


Sherlock wanted me to show you this - he made it at his Mum's. He has now informed her he wants the Meccano delivered to him. I can't lie...I want it delivered to him too! And by the look on John's face, he does too.

It was hers, I think. Or possibly their father's, but I get the impression it was probably Mrs Holmes', doubt she let stereotypical boy/girl toys stand in her way as a kid!

Now I've found a real love, you'll never fool me again.

Today's been nice. If a bit busy. All kicked off by pancakes, which Sherlock somehow managed to have chocolate on. I'm fairly sure there's some sort of minimum-sleep-quantity that one should have before being allowed to care for children.

Still, won't kill him.

My Christmas shift had highs and lows...

Lows: finding out I'd have to work New Years too.
Having to talk to a family who'd been woken up Christmas morning to be told their son was dead.

Highs: One of my officers being proposed to, via an elaborate ruse involving a cell, a custody sergeant and her boyfriend (also an officer, but who should have been off-duty and far away with his family). She said yes. The radio was a-buzz for the rest of the day with congratulatory messages.

John coming to visit me at the Yard. He said he was tempted to take the long way back home, the roads were so quiet, and biking was so nice! I didn't ask if he did or not...I suspect he might have, if just to keep away from the card games which were becoming very high-stakes!

And this story.

Anyway, here's a (small part) of our Christmas tree, becuase...well, because you have to see it to believe any tree could support the sheer amount of tinsel.

Have you ever, Felt like you could do better

Yesterday was just fantastic. John's face when he got back home to find me...went from a frown, obviously worrying why I was home so soon...so wide eyed open-mouthed amazement as I held up the tickets.

Mrs H was great. I asked her about it at the weekend, and she said she'd see what she could do. A few hours later I had a name and an address I had to go and pick them up from :)

She said, and I agreed, that John deserved one last day of freedom and fun on his own (well, with me hanging on) before the summer holiday hit and he was being used for entertainment by Sherlock 24/7. Well - apart from when John's at his other work. It'll be a nice rest for him ;)

So, yeah, I had a bit of a crash course in tennis.


Today was work. Lots of catching up. And in the middle of it all Family decided it would rear its head. Danny is...being a complete pain in the arse.

Still, got home to find a few caterpillars have...chrysallisified themselves. (Whatever it's really called).

I have a feeling we may need to shift them off the dying nettle they are attached to. We'll see.


Now listening to more music for the wedding.

I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take

Spent today stuffed in a dark evidence store, breathing the dust of a thousand ruined lives.

Started coughing when we got in there...haven't stopped yet. Feels like I'm smoking again - that permanent slight-lack-of-breath. Like, just on the verge of panting. In Sherlock's words, 'it's stupid'.

Anyway, slowly building this case back up from the mess it was left in. Hope we can get enough together to make it stick. I think we will, but it's all more time and stress the family of the victim don't need.

Heard this today - I think it's brilliant.

Here we come, walking down the street. We get the funniest looks from everyone we meet.

So, today...today...don't know where to start...

At the beginning?

There was pre-breakfast swimming, as we knew Mrs H would be here at some point, and we might not get to swim later. Mycroft stayed out and supervised the Little Shermaid while John and I sorted out fruit and stuff for breakfast.

Mrs H arrived before the boys were even dry, and ate a bit with us. Then we gathered essentials for the day. Then removed 90% of what Sherlock considered 'essential' from his bag. Then left.

It was a bit of a magical mystery tour... I don't think I give our position away too much by saying the first stop was Gibraltar! I'd never been, but obviously seen lots of pictures... But Mrs H is a brave woman, exposing those monkeys to Sherlock ;) Doesn't she know if all the monkeys leave the rock then Gibraltar will no longer be under British rule??

Anyway...  what happened next....

I don't believe in Peter Pan, Frankenstein or Superman...

So Bashful won. Which was...a surprise.

To me, anyway.

I cannot wait for this week to be over. Partly because of today, last week, the last few weeks...I don't know. I just know I'm really really looking forward to getting away from everything with John and the boys.

Today we went to talk to a boy who is known to us - he's like a hanger-on to a gang. Been in some minor trouble. The sort of person we lean on to see what they do. Not the brightest kid in the world, but not such a bad lad either.

Got the usual when we knocked on the door and his Mum opened it. "He wouldn't get mixed up in that, not my boy, he's a good lad" etc. So she let us in, led us up the stairs, knocked on his door...and when it opened he was standing there with a pistol pointed at us, shaking, crying, saying if we moved he'd kill us.

Took a little while to sort out. Needless to say his Mum changed her tune. But was all okay in the end. Sal's still giving me evil looks for grabbing her and standing inbetween her and him. It was just instinct, Sal, nothing to do with you being the fairer sex, promise ;)

Oddly enough, when I got back to the yard after picking out a bike with John and enjoying the sunshine, there was a memo telling me I'm on the firearms course next month. Coincidence? Don't think much in my life is these days.

 Quick! Vote in the new poll!

Blast me to Heaven for loving you

Lots of post for me this morning...

5 speeding tickets, 3 for going through red lights, all for last Friday.

Mysteriously, when I went online to pay them, they didn't exist...

I can only assume Mrs Holmes, Fairy Godmother, has something to do with this. Thanks, Mrs H.